It's pretty bad....

when my mom calls me and tells me that it's time to update my blog because I haven't done it in over a week! Truth be told, there has just been nothing to write about around here. If I were a good blogger I would have taken pictures of the 8 yards of mulch and 35 bags of cedar chips that we spread on Saturday. But I just wanted to get the job done! If any sewing had happened in the last week or so, I could have shown that. I did spend 6 hours on Friday sitting at the radiologist while my daughter had an upper GI done. I did a bit of hand quilting on the miniature that you see above while waiting. Those nine patches finish at 1.5 inches square! I was hired by Weight Watchers last week and did my first training on Friday night, I guess I could have blogged about that! But I didn't. Apparently, I'm slacking off on this blogging thing.

On the bright side, this is post 299! Leave a comment telling me where you are from (because I really want to know!) by Saturday night, and I'll enter you into a drawing to win some sort of quilty prize, which will possibly (but not definitely...) include some fabric, a pattern or two and most likely some chocolate covered pretzels from our local candy shop! (And Van, if I draw YOUR name, it will include a prize made of grain in place of the fabric. Unless you really want some fabric.)

Pieceful Weekend...

I've had a very quiet weekend. I did the obligatory house cleaning yesterday morning, only as much as necessary, then made a cup of tea and headed to the sewing room. I finished one Lucky Stars quilt top...

Then I got the second one together....
After watching "Enchanted" with my daughter, I put together B-2...


And finished off with B-12. This was the first time I'd done applique with the freezer paper on top and I'm not sure if I like it. I felt that I couldn't see well enough as I was needleturning the fabric under. I'm also not happy with my stitches on this block...I didn't have a fine thread in red to match the fabric, so went with a regular sewing thread. It was far too heavy, usually I use either silk thread or something like Bottom Line to applique. But, finished is better than perfect, so this block will stay as it is!

I'm now caught up with the Dear Jane blocks and can't wait to see what awaits this week.

It's been an incredibly gorgeous weekend here...yesterday the thermometer hit 87. I took one of the dogs for a long walk and it was just beautiful. Wish I'd brought the camera!

Thanks for all of your emails about reaching my goal, unfortunately I couldn't respond to everyone because there were some "no-reply" posts. But I do appreciate your support!

The long road...

Yesterday, on the one year anniversary of first walking through the doors of Weight Watchers, I reached my goal! I only had about 25 pounds to lose, but it was a long road...much longer than I anticipated. My surgery last summer set me back, and if I'd exercised at all, it might have gone faster, but I've made it and I'm so excited!

The keychain above was my reward for losing 10% of my body weight. The disc marks 25 pounds lost and the star signifies reaching my goal weight. But it all means so much more to me. It means bad habits overcome, a new way of looking at food and a new way of life. I've learned so much about myself during the past year and I hope I'm a stronger, more focused person...and besides, it's really nice to shop for smaller sizes!

This weekend should be quiet, with lots of quilting time. My plan is to make this week's Dear Jane blocks and finish the two Lucky Stars quilts. Today I donated this quilt to Deborah Heart and Lung Hospital here in NJ. It will be part of a fundraising event they are having on May 10th. I hope it brings in a few dollars for them!

Equal Time...

Since my last post had pictures of my girls, I thought that maybe I should include my son as well! Yesterday he called from college and asked me to email a baby picture to him for one of his classes. I came across this one...what a cutie he was! He was about 3 then...he's 20 now

...where does the time go?

This is post 295...I'm still gathering things for the 300th post giveaway! Stay tuned...

Quiltathon

On Friday night, my beautiful daughter attended the Junior Dinner Dance with a friend. Isn't she lovely?

She was a bit more refined once we arrived at his house for pictures!

Then we took daughter number two out for some shopping and dinner at Panera...


It was a beautiful weekend here in South Jersey. Saturday was 70 degrees, although overcast, and Sunday was cooler, but sunnier. We ran some errands on Saturday morning, including a trip to the little yarn store in town, which is having a retirement/going out of business sale. I came out empty handed...most of what was left was specialty yarns, which I don't really need. Once home I was able to spend a good bit of the afternoon in my sewing room. I made my next Dear Jane block, C-3.

Then spent some time working on my Lucky Stars quilts. On Sunday we spent a few hours working in the yard, then I sewed for awhile longer.
It was a quiet weekend, but very productive. The boss is off to Anchorage this week and Seattle next week, so it will just be the girls and I at home. If I don't get lazy, I should get a lot done!

Sunday Stash Busting Report

I'm still working on the Lucky Stars quilt. When I started, I had it in my head that I had to make 30 blocks, but I really only needed 20. Don't know what I was thinking...but since I had 10 extra cut out, I decided to cut an additional 10 and make a quilt for another of my daughter's friends. So, another 10 fat quarters were taken from my stash as well as another yard of white for the backgrounds this week, for an additional 3.5 yards busted. I still have five more stars to put together, then I'll start working on the sashing. I don't have any yardage for the backing, so I'm not sure if I'll pull more and piece backings or if I'll purchase some.

I also decided to work on Bonnie's new mystery quilt. I struggled to find pieces that were big enough for the yardage, but managed to come up with a few that will play nicely together. My colors are black, tan and brown with red as an accent. I'll be pulling everything else out of my scrap bins. I haven't added up this yardage yet, so I'll put it on next week. I'm starting to wish I'd kept track of how much I've used, maybe I'll go back through my posts and do that!

Living Vicariously...

Sadly, this is not my view out of my window....This is not the view of my bedroom...
This is not the view from my golf cart (not that I actually golf!)...

But these are all the views that the boss has as he attends a business meeting in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Poor baby.

I did head to Collingswood, NJ yesterday for a little fun with my youngest. We stopped at The Painted Cottage where the owner makes the most incredible mosaic furniture from old porcelain dishes ...such creativity! This picture came from her website...

We wandered around the shops, then stopped in at The Pop Shop for an early dinner. This is a great little place, which will be more famous in another week when it is featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay on April 13th. He showed up a few months ago to challenge them to a grilled cheese throwdown. If my daughter's grilled cheese with pulled pork and BBQ sauce was any indication, they should definitely win! This photo is from the article here.

So, in spite of the fact I'm not in Punta Cana, I am having fun! I've also managed to make a few stars for my quilt, which has now become two quilts. Pictures later...